Sandy, the 4.5 year albino who had 2 pancreatic tumors, 1 adrenal tumor,
one liver tumor, and one chunk of rubber in her intestine removed last
Tuesday, seems to be healing fine from her surgery.  Her tummy looks a
normal color and the bruising has gone away.
 
The incision is still looking the same for an incision...but it is skin
color and not leaking, or anything.  Inside her tummy (after all, no hair
on an albino means she has somewhat of a see-through tummy) shows no
obvious bruising... and she is hooked on Vet A/D and Turkey Baby Food.
For breakfast, she just ate 20 mls... which us about 2 ultra-heaping
tablespoons full of food... plus water.  She really wants to get out of
her current temporary home, the bathroom.  She laid flat for a few
minutes after her meds and the big meal this morning and acted achy and
breathed a little seriously... but not like she was in terrible pain,,,
almost like she was just bored and annoyed... she did this at the
pet-door.  Her pain meds have been drastically reduced and this is the
last day she is supposed to be on them.  I pick her up from her chest and
butt, with a little bend to attempt to be kind to her wounds.  She is
very alert and shows NO signs of insulinomia/adrenal at all.  She is
being weaned off the prednisone, and tomorrow she starts to skip a day
for her dose.  She is taking antibiotics, carafate, amoxillin, pain meds,
and pet-tinic.  She thinks the carafate and pet tinic are not too bad.
She HATES the amoxillin, but takes the 1/2 CC like a trooper.  I chase
that stuff with a finger full of ferretone.
 
She has visited with the cat and other ferrets a little every day, and
there are no negative reactions... I was hoping to bring her back into
the ferret room (my room) where I can keep a closer eye on her eating
habits... she is ignoring her kibble...I plan to start grinding up the
kibble into her soft food, to get her back on it and used to the taste.
 
She poops a dark-brown petroleum jelly looking poop, and the nurse says
this is normal for a ferret solely on baby food that had an intestinal
blockage removed.  It looks strangely like the pet-tinic that she gets
twice a day.  Perhaps the solid food will change things?  It really
doesn't look like bloody stools... just like ultra dark ferret lax.
 
The doctor mentioned that she should stay quiet for 5 days or so... Today
would be her 5 day-anniversary... I was working on the ferret room -
adding blankets around anything that might be a jump of more than a few
inches, and have removed any precarious climbs.
 
Should I wait for a week to pass, or can I bring her in tonight...?
 
Thanks,
 
Mark H.
[Posted in FML issue 3872]